The Tree of Life
This weekend I opted not to see Super 8 and instead went to "The Tree of Life". I've been wanting to see this movie for months, especially since I saw the trailer before "Black Swan".
I don't know what to think. On the one hand the film is visually stunning, a masterpiece. Ostensibly, it is about a family in 1950's Texas, with a strong patriarch and an ethereal matriarch with three boys. And we know about some point this family will experience a loss. The dialogue is sparse and the film is punctuated by music and voice-overs and some acts (for that is how I am coming to think of the film) were separated with what looked like a burning shimmer. And how can I not talk about the dinosaurs??? That was the big WTF in the trailers.
Here's the thing, we saw Malick's vision of the "Big Bang", the primordial ooze, the forming of life in the ocean, to a dinosaur-like creature with the fins, to finally actual dinosaurs. We also see the destruction of that era, for a space-eyed viewpoint. He connects the dinosaurs to the family by showing the same setting by a river to both entities. While sitting in the theater I couldn't help thinking about Kubrick's 2001: Space Odyssey and I'm not the only one. Let me just say that while I don't deny Kubrick's brilliance I did completely get/care for his version of evolution either.
All told, I think the core story of the family was great. The struggle between dreams and reality, the tension and love between father and son, and the need to feel you're special and connected to others and the world around. I don't know if this is the best movie ever, but it is definitely thought provoking on a cinematic level and on an emotional one. And I have to say Brad Pitt shows a lot of depth in this film.
I don't know what to think. On the one hand the film is visually stunning, a masterpiece. Ostensibly, it is about a family in 1950's Texas, with a strong patriarch and an ethereal matriarch with three boys. And we know about some point this family will experience a loss. The dialogue is sparse and the film is punctuated by music and voice-overs and some acts (for that is how I am coming to think of the film) were separated with what looked like a burning shimmer. And how can I not talk about the dinosaurs??? That was the big WTF in the trailers.
Here's the thing, we saw Malick's vision of the "Big Bang", the primordial ooze, the forming of life in the ocean, to a dinosaur-like creature with the fins, to finally actual dinosaurs. We also see the destruction of that era, for a space-eyed viewpoint. He connects the dinosaurs to the family by showing the same setting by a river to both entities. While sitting in the theater I couldn't help thinking about Kubrick's 2001: Space Odyssey and I'm not the only one. Let me just say that while I don't deny Kubrick's brilliance I did completely get/care for his version of evolution either.
All told, I think the core story of the family was great. The struggle between dreams and reality, the tension and love between father and son, and the need to feel you're special and connected to others and the world around. I don't know if this is the best movie ever, but it is definitely thought provoking on a cinematic level and on an emotional one. And I have to say Brad Pitt shows a lot of depth in this film.
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